The boy, who was just 12 years old at the time, had been missing for 11 days. So when the news anchor told the dad, Charles Bothuell IV, that his son had been discovered at home, his reaction was nothing short of stunned. Watch the surreal moment unfold here:
While speaking with Nancy Grace on HLN, Charles Bothuell IV looked completely floored when she asked how his son, Charles Bothuell V, could have been found inside the house—especially after so many people had already searched it.
He replied: “I’ve searched the basement, my wife has searched the basement, the FBI has searched the basement, the Detroit Police searched my basement.”
“We’ve all searched my basement multiple times.”
However, once the police conducted a deeper investigation, they discovered that the boy hadn’t been missing at all. In fact, he’d been hiding from his dad and stepmother, Monique Dillard-Bothuell, in fear.
When asked why he had gone into hiding, the boy explained he was terrified of how his father would react once he realized he hadn’t done his daily exercise routine.
The torture charge was later dropped, but if it had gone forward and resulted in a conviction, they could have been sentenced to life in prison.
By 2016, Charles Bothuell IV accepted a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to fourth-degree child abuse, which led to the dismissal of the more serious charges.
Bothuell IV admitted to hitting his son with a PVC pipe. As part of his sentence, he was ordered to serve 18 months of probation and attend mandatory anger management classes.
Reports say that his wife, Dillard-Bothuell, also accepted a plea deal. However, the specifics of her agreement weren’t made public.
Now that the clip has resurfaced on social media, people are reacting all over again. Many viewers who hadn’t seen the story before are questioning whether it’s even real.
Another added: “If he had no idea why didn’t he run off and go home.”
And a third said: “He definitely knew he was in there.”
